‘Severe cold’: Tuesday 10°C colder than normal for this time of year

The maximum temperature on Tuesday hit a new season-low at 12 degrees Celsius—down from 12.5 degrees Celsius the previous day—as per the India Meteorological Department

The maximum temperature on Tuesday hit a new season-low at 12 degrees Celsius—down from 12.5 degrees Celsius the previous day—as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Tuesday’s maximum temperature was 10 degrees below the normal for this time of the year.

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The difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures on Tuesday was less than two degrees Celsius. The IMD recorded a minimum temperature of 10.4 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, up from 10 degrees Celsius on Monday.

The IMD classified Tuesday as a ‘severe cold day’ and said that Wednesday too is expected to have similar weather conditions.

“Strong, cold westerly winds are blowing from the western Himalayan region. Monday and Tuesday also had a thick cloud cover which led to no sunlight. Similar conditions are expected on Wednesday,” Kuldeep Srivastava, head of the regional forecasting centre at the IMD, Delhi, said.

On Wednesday, the minimum temperature is expected to fall further to 8 or 9 degrees Celsius, as per the IMD’s prediction. The maximum temperature could be around 13 degrees Celsius.

Gurugram continued to record ‘moderate’ air quality on Tuesday for the fifth consecutive day, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 106 on the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) bulletin at 4pm. The AQI reading on Monday was recorded at 130.

Experts said high wind speed, averaging around 12kmph as per the CPCB, helped disperse the pollutants.

The city’s air quality is likely to remain in the ‘moderate’ category. It could, however, deteriorate to the ‘poor’ category this week due to the minimum temperature as well as wind speed reducing, as per the CPCB. The IMD has predicted light rain on Friday and Saturday due to a western disturbance over Afghanistan and adjoining areas, and weather experts said it would improve air quality to an extent.

In a meeting of the CPCB task force on Tuesday, the board reiterated that stone crushers, hot-mix plants, and ready-mix plants are allowed to operate and construction activities can take place between 6am and 6pm. These plants must strictly implement pollution control measures and state pollution control boards should ensure regular surveillance and take strict actions against violating units, the CPCB said.